Similar to rules already in place in Tampa and Orlando, Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody presented a proposal Monday that essentially would decriminalize less than 20 grams of marijuana, leaving the decision to law enforcement on whether or not to treat the situation as a criminal or civil infraction, reports WTVT.
Of course, giving law enforcement any room for discretion is usually a recipe for discriminatory enforcement, but Brody still feels the new proposal would allow officers to focus on real crime.“The criminal justice system has a finite number of resources," Commissioner Brody said to the station. "Anytime you can take an opportunity to divert resources away to more pressing issues and, I think, more violent issues and violent crime, you are enabling law enforcement to focus on those things."
Currently, possessing small amounts of marijuana in Florida is a misdemeanor charge that can land you in jail for up to a year, or force you to pay a $1,000 fine.
Though it’s still unclear what punishments would be included with the proposed infraction (like community service or small fines), Sarasota commissioners are currently evaluating the new proposal.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Florida spent almost $229 million enforcing marijuana laws in 2010.
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This article appears in Mar 14-21, 2019.